This story is the tenth chapter of a fictional series by SRI’s Mark Banta. We are also honored that SRI associate Pat Barker has contributed her talents to illustrate the series. We ask that you respect both the author’s and the illustrator’s copyrights and do not download or post these works on other sites.

Mark and Pat return with this month’s exciting installment of A New Reality. John lays his trap to catch the sasquatch with help from the group from Midsouth Bigfoot Research Center. Grady’s future is still uncertain. Will Rusty rejoin the group?

If you haven’t already, read Chapter 9 of A New Reality or start at the beginning.

Chapter X

Brian was dumbfounded by the plethora of weaponry John had in his possession. The old veteran had apparently taken more than nightmarish memories from the war. He’d also taken at least two Claymores, three hand grenades, and six smoke grenades.

Brian continued to have mixed emotions about John’s plan. He was beginning to think of John as some type of master of manipulation with an uncanny ability to draw others irreversibly to his side. The worst part about it, Brian realized, was that he felt obligated to a cause that he didn’t fully understand. John’s introduction of explosives was just another example of how little Brian really knew about this man.

As though reading his mind, Levi responded to Brian’s silent thought. “This man has really got us over a barrel,” he said quietly. “Pardon the cliché,” he offered as an afterthought.

“The cliché fits,” Brian said agreeably.

They had made camp a few hours earlier. John had departed quickly to lay the gauntlet, as he referred to it. Levi and Brian sat beside one another, leaning easily against their tack. There would be no fire tonight. John had declared they would run a cold camp.

“I never thought it would happen this way,” Brian whispered as much to himself as to Levi. “I thought by creating my own research group that I’d have some control over the discovery, if it ever presented itself. Now, here it is, right at my fingertips, and I control nothing. This thing is going down whether I participate or not.”

“Control is an illusion,” Levi replied.

“Another cliché?”

“Cliché’s are born on nights like these,” Levi said distantly.

“I don’t doubt that,” Brian agreed. “I’ve never been more conflicted and afraid in my life. I’ve also never been more excited.”

Levi considered for a moment. “We need to watch each other’s backs tonight. I believe John will do what he can to protect us, as long as it doesn’t interfere with his primary objective. He strikes me as the kind of man that approaches a situation like this with single-minded focus. His goal is to save Grady, not us. We need to remember that.”

“Do you think we’re doing the right thing?” Brian asked. “Should we really be participating in this?”

Levi turned and regarded Brian with a strange smile. “Right and wrong are a matter of perspective, Brian. Some say that the most brilliant thinkers view a situation from dozens or even hundreds of perspectives. Ultimately, though, decisions have to be made and one perspective wins out over all the others. I’m ashamed to say it, but in my mind, the most important perspective is pride. I could try to lie to myself and make excuses for my decision, but ultimately it comes down to pride. I can’t walk away from this, because I know I would always regret it. I’d spend the rest of my life daydreaming of what might have been, who I might have been, and what type of legacy I could have left behind. That’s not how I want to spend my retirement.”

Brian shook his head and let out an uneasy laugh. “Damn, I hate it when you get all honest.”

“So why are you doing this?” Levi asked.